Mounting means for guard grilles of fans or similar appliances



May 29; 1951 2,554,601

o. A. SUTTON MOUNTING MEANS FOR GUARD GRILLES 0F FANS 0R SIMILAR APPLIANCES Filed Oct. 10. 1949 INVENTOR. Ozzz's A. Guitar? Patented May 29, 1951 MOUNTING MEANS FOR -GUARDGRILLES OF. FANS OR SIMILAR, APPLIANCES Ottis A. Sutton, Wichita, K'ans.-,-. assignor.to The O. A. ,Sutton florporation; Inc., -;Wichita-, Kane, a corporation of Kansas ApplicationOctober 10, 1949,'Serial No. 120,593

4 Glaims. (Cl. 230*:275.) a

l The present invention relates --to mounting means-for a grille'or equivalent guard forhousehold fans or-similar appliances. 'In the present illustration the structure comprises a fan, but

it is to be appreciatedthat the present inven tionmay be utilized in other appliances such as heaters or the like. The object of the presentinvention is to provide mounting means for a guard grille or equivalent structure which is simple and easily assembled; and yet is mounted in a manner to prevent excessive vibration or rattling there of and accidental displacement thereof in normal usage.

The objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily ascertained from inspection of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, while the features of novelty will be more distinctly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a fan embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invention, with parts broken away to illustrate details thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

In the present invention the fan comprises a body structure including a cowl l0 formed by uniting an outer shell II to an inner shell l2 defining an annular enclosed space, and an airdirecting funnel l3 suitably retained in spaced relation thereto. The funnel surrounds a motor l4 having a fan 15 connected thereto and lying within the cowl I0 beyond the inner end of the funnel l3 so as to draw air axially through the spaces between the cowl l0 and the funnel l3 and between the funnel l3 and the motor [4 and project the air forwardly through the front end of the cowl. The body structure is preferably mounted upon a base [6 by means of a yoke including a spaced pair of arms I! extending upwardly about the cowl ID in spaced relation thereto and connected thereto through the medium of conical mounting members l8 extending along a horizontal diameter of the cowl. Details of such a mounting are more completely illustrated and described in my copending application, Serial No. 120,502, filed concurrently herewith, and details of the cowl are more fully illustrated and described in my copending application, Serial No. 120,504, filed concurrently herewith.

In accordance with the present invention, the

ill

2 grille comprisesaplurality of radially extending rods 20 having their inner ends joined together as by means of a; central-member'zl. .The arms are welded or otherwise fastened to a plurality of concentric guard-rings :22 surrounding the member 2 I, thus providing an open grille through which-the air may be moved withthe minimum of resistance whilepreventing the entryof most objects and parts of the body of the user.. The outer end of each radial rod 20 .is bent-to provide a rearwardly extending horizontal fingerof' relatively short length, with the horizontal fingers lying along the circumference of a circleof lesser diameter than the inner diameter of the cowl 10. Each of these rearwardly projecting'portions is provided with an offset, 23 extending radially inward and providinga notch 24 facing radially outward. The end of each rod is passed through an opening 25 in the end of a radially extending mounting member 26 which is resiliently urged radially inward of the cowl through an opening 2'! in the inner shell I2. Preferably the mounting membe 26 comprises the laterally bent end of a leaf spring 28 fastened to the inner surface of the shell l2 by means of a rivet 29 or equivalent structure. The spring 28 is preferably stressed normally to lie against the inner surface of the shell l2 so that the openings 25 normally lie along the circumference of a circle of lesser diameter than the diameter of the circle defined by the offset portions 23 of the grille rods 20. The grille may be easily assembled by positioning each offset portion 23 in a corresponding opening 25 in one of the mounting members, this being accomplished by manually pushing the mounting members radially outward through the opening 21 until the rod end may be inserted, whereupon the mounting member will snap into position. The grille is thereby resiliently maintained in position with all parts in spaced relation to the body structure of the fan. Disassembly may be readily accomplished if desired, but the grille is held in position during normal handling of the fan.

Having illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention permits of modification in arrangement and detail. I claim as my invention all such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fan comprising a body member having a circular opening therein, an aerodynamic device mounted within said body member for propelling 'air through said opening, and means to guard said opening comprising a grille spanning said opening, said grille including a plurality of radially directed rods having their outer ends bent rearwardly to provide fingers lying along the circumference of a circle of smaller diameter than that of said opening, each of said fingers having a notch in its outer surface, a plurality of mounting members projecting radially into said opening from said body member, each of said mounting members comprising a fiat strip having an opening therethrough for reception of the rearwardly bent end of one of said rods, and resilient means urging said mounting members radially inward.

2. A fan comprising a body member having a fingers having a notch in its outer surface, a

. laterally and projecting radially inward: of said circular opening therethrough, an aerodynamic device mounted within said body member for propelling air through said opening, and means to v guard said opening comprising a grille spanning said opening, said grille including a plurality of radially directed elongated members having their outer ends bent rearwardly to provide fingers lying along the circumference of a circle of smaller diameter than that of said opening, a plurality of mounting members projecting radially into said opening from said body member, each of said mounting members and fingers having cooperating means for detachably connecting said fingers to said mounting members, and resilient means urging said mounting members radially inward. I

3. A fan comprising a cowl including an inner and an outer shell defining an annular enclosed space, a grille spanning one end of said cowl, said grille'including a plurality of rearwardly directed 35 fingers lying in a circle of lesser diameter than the inner diameter of said cowl, each of said cowl; said cowl having openings therein'through which the free ends of said leaf springs project, each of the free ends of said leaf springs having an opening therethrough normally lying along the circumference of a circle of lesser diameter than the diameter of the circle defining said notches, said rods projecting through the openings in said leaf springs with the notches thereof engaging said leaf springs.

4'. A fan comprising a cowl, a grille spanning one end of said cowl, said grille including a plurality of rearwardly directed fingers lying in a circle of lesser diameter than the inner diameter of said cowl, a plurality of fiat leaf springs mounted on said cowl and having their free ends bent laterally and projecting radially inward of REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 758,305 Fergusson Apr. 26, 1904 2,259,853

Koch Oct, 21, 1941 

